Kovalev, who enjoyed a brilliant amateur career, last vacated the squared circle on August 2 after knocking Blake Caparello onto Queer Street in the second round.

“The man has a record and he has a ninety percent plus knockout ratio,” said Hopkins, 49, a reformed ex-convict who is also a past two-weight world champion.

“We can forget names and what faces that he knocked out. They don’t look at that when they see that. Boxing is no different than what makes people be led from one thing to another because they are so used to the wham bam thank you ma’am and not looking at the art and the skill that can defuse, take from, cut off and stop from being what it used to be or what it likes to be. Haven’t they learned yet? No.”

In comparison to Kovalev, Hopkins most recently earned a split decision over Beibut Shumenov in April.